Did You Know...

Five former Georgetown players played on the 1920 NFL franchise coached by Jim Thorpe, the Canton Bulldogs.

History & Tradition: Hoyas In The NFL

More names than you might think.

Unbeknownst to most fans, Georgetown alumni have been a part of numerous NFL teams over the years, from the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins to now-forgotten franchises like the Newark Tornadoes and the Pottsville Maroons.

The first Georgetown men in the pro ranks were there at the start of the league. When assembling the first NFL team at Canton, Ohio in 1920, player-coach Jim Thorpe knew well of Georgetown, having competed against them at Carlisle in the early 1900's. He selected five Georgetown men to fill out his original 24 man roster, more than from any other college.

The zenith of Georgetown's NFL representation came in the early 1940's. A record ten members of the 1941 Orange Bowl team went into the NFL ranks, chief among them Al Blozis (C'42), arguably the greatest athlete in Georgetown history. Blozis earned Rookie of the Year and NFL All-Pro honors with the New York Giants before serving in World War II, where he was killed in battle in 1945. Blozis' #32 is among the few jersey numbers ever retired in the Giants' storied football history.

Georgetown alumni have also made their mark as team coaches, owners and executives. Among them are:

Art Rooney(ex'22), a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, attended both Georgetown and Duquesne in the 1920's, but did not play varsity football at Georgetown. Rooney was the long time chief executive of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1933 through his death in 1988.

William Shea (L'31), a part owner of the Washington Redskins in the 1960's, was a letterman in 1928. Shea, who helped bring National League baseball back to New York in 1962, is also the namesake of the former Shea Stadium, home of the New York Jets from 1964-2009.

Sam Cordovano (C'30), a letterman from 1927 through 1929 and member of the Georgetown Athletic Hall of Fame, was owner and general manager of the original Buffalo Bills from 1946-1949 when they played in the the All-America Football Conference (AAFC).

Dan Reeves (C'32), owner of the Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams from 1941 through his death in 1971, also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Reeves was the first NFL owner to break the color barrier after World War II and was the first owner to achieve success with a pro football team on the West Coast.

Edward Bennett Williams (L'44), an owner of both the Washington Redskins and baseball's Baltimore Orioles during his long career as one of the nation's most prominent attorneys;

Charles Bidwill, Jr. (C'50), former president of the Chicago/St. Louis Cardinals from 1960 to 1972;

William Bidwill (C'53), president and majority owner of the St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals since 1972;

Paul Tagliabue (C'62), NFL commissioner from 1989 through 2006;

Carmen Policy (L'66), former president of the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns;

Jim Schwartz (C'89), a four year letterman from 1985-88, is the current assistant coach of the Buffalo Bills;

Jerry Jones, Jr. (C'92), a letterman in 1988 and 1989, is vice president of the Dallas Cowboys.

Note 1: Florence played briefly in the NFL before attending Georgetown and is presumed to have received his eligibility back as a result.
Note 2: These players transferred from Georgetown as freshmen and thus did not play varsity football.

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